Lighter



Sept. 10,' 1940; c. F. LARsEN E1? AL LIGHTER- Filed Nov. `22 1939 Patented Sept. 1U, 1940 anexas uon'raa Charles F. Larsen.

Brooklynl and George' Mccemicx, New rcriemr. Application November zz. im. sensi Ncgznnvz 4' claim. (ci. iii-1.1)

This invention reietestc lighters and has for an object to provide a construction wherein the lighting elements will be caused to quickly function without any predetermined effort on the part 5 ofthe operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lighter wherein the parts are moved at any desired speed to a given position and then a resistance presented so that an extra. pressure will quickly -move the' parts to a completed position and thereby give the serrated wheel of the device a sudden quick movement. A further object of the invention is to-provide Van improved construction which will quickly and automatically ignite a wick when actuated and quickly put out or snuff the wick when released.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a lighterembodying theinvention, certain parts being shown in elevation:

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through Fig. 1 approximately on the line 2-2; Fig. 3 is a sectional view through Fig. 2 approximately on the line 2-3 but showing only 3,5 a portion of the device illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig.' 4 is a transverse sectional view through Fig'. 1 approximately on the line l-I;

Fig. 5 is a `fragmentary sectional view 'through i Fig. 1 approximately on the line 5 4:

80 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through Fig. l'on the line 6 6;

Fig. 'I is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the housing or casing shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanyins drawing by 85 numerals, i indicates a housing or casing which is bent or stamped from sheet metal. f The respective edges 2 and l are held together by rivets 4 and 5 which also act to perform other functions as heretofore fully described. The casing I is provided with suitable air vents O so as to provide the proper amount of air to support combustion when the wick 1 is ignited. The wick 1 extends from the usual fluid container I and is correctly positioned to receive the spark when the device is a5 functioning. Y

- In regard to the rivet 5 it acts as a Journal pin` for a swinging cap 9. This cap functions also to actuate the serrated wheel ill and the snuifer il which is rigidly secured thereto in position to fit over the wick 1 when the device is not functioning, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The serrated wheel i0 is rotatably mounted on the rivet or pin B and is provided with the usual abutments i2 which are adapted to be engaged by respective resilient arms I3 and Il so asto rotate the wheel when these arms are moved inone direction. It will be observed that these arms are an integral part of the plate il which is `iournaled on the pin or rivet l and is provided with extensions it and i1 bearing against the cap lso that the plate and g arms will move with the cap. When the arms are moved clockwise as shown in Fig. l they will also move the wheel il. but when moved counterclockwise the arms will resiliently pass over the abutments i2. l

Associated with the serrated wheel il is a flint Il which is slidably mounted in a tubular collar il and pressed by a spring 20 so as always to properly engage the serrated wheel I0. A knob ai is secured te the cap s and is adapted vtc be is.;

pressed in a direction to the right, as shown in.

Figs. l and 3, wheny it is desired to ignite the wick "-1 `1.-. The slow movement. of the yparts causes the wheel i8 to rub against the flint il but usually will not provide a suilicient spark to ignite -the n wick 1. i It is desirable to swing the cap to a partially open position and then to quickly rotate ythe wheel il to give a large spark sc that the wick 'l will be ignited on each operation. To result a special construction has been provid It will be observed that an elongated abutment 22 is secured to the side member .23 ofthe end of cap s, while a pin 2l isA connected to the opposite. side member 2B. Preferably the cap is made froma single piece ofpressed metaihavlo ing a back, twosides and an end. The two sides adjacent the knob 2i are rounded-.to form the members and 2L A lever '2l is pivotaliy mounted on pini l. as shown in Fig. 1. and is continually pressed by` a spring 21 which acts g5 against a shoulder 2l and against a wall of housing 2l so as torcause thelever 2l a continuous tendency to move to the right, as shown in Fig. l, to continually press against theabutment 22. Therefore. when the abutment 22 has been movedover to the left, asy shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, and then released the lever 2l will quickly move the. parts back to `the position shown in Fig. l. However, when the knob 2i is pressed clockwise. as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, t hel u pin 24 connected to theside plate `2lwil1 engage a spring pressedswinging abutment 30st the point or shoulder-'3l and force the same to the leit. as shown in Fig. 1. The abutment 30 is pivotally mounted at 32 onthe arm 33 of a bell 50 crank lever 34, which' lever is pivotally mounted on pin I4' carried by housing 29. The opposite arm 35 of the bell crank lever is pressed by a spring 36 so as to remain normally in the position shown in Fig. l. A spring l1 is connected u at 38 to the bell crank lever 34 and at Il to a small extension from the abutment Il. The spring 31 attempts to keep the abutment ll pressing against the point or shoulder 40 of the bell crank lever 34. When the knob 2| is moved clockwise, the pin 24 strikes the shoulder 43l and this shoulder, acting through the bell crank lever and spring just described, will resist further movement. However, if a harder push is given to the knob 2|, spring 36 will quickly move and the abutment 30 will move out of the way of pin 24 so that the parts will give the wheel Il a quick partial movement and thereby produce a good spark. This spark occurs after the snuilerl Il has been moved oil the wick 1. After the knob 2| lhas been moved to the right as far as possible, as shown in Fig.` 1, it together with the cap 9 and associated parts will move under theaction of arms or levers 2l, back to theposition shown in Fig. 1 ready for a second operation. Abutment 30 and bell crank lever 34 will also quickly move back to their former positions under the action of their respective springs. When the pin 24 moves backward the abutment 3l swings away from the point or abutment 4I and allows'pin 24 to pass, after which it resumes the position shown in Fig. Just described.

It will be seen, therefore, thatthe first movement of knob 2| and cap l will merely uncover the wick 1 and the second quick movement will produce the spark. The abutment 22 during the iirst movement will move the upper end of lever 2t and during this time the snuii'er Il has been elevated until the vwick 1 is completely free so that as the lever 28, pin 24 and associated parts move over to their extreme positions `the wick will be exposed ready to be ignited.

In regard to the abutment 22, it lwill be seenl that the same is elongated with half-round ends4 land connecting nat sides. As shown in Fig. 1, the major axis is arranged substantiallyradial' ing a casing, a fluid container having a-wick, il.`

. cap for the casing, means for supporting a flint near said wick, a serrated wheel actuated by said cap for causing said flint to function to produce a spark, and means coactlng with saldcap for causlng an operator to open the cap for part of its movement and then quickly for the remaining part.v whereby said serrated wheel will be quickly moved to produce in connection with the ilint an ample spark for igniting said wick. said means including a hand actuated knob and an abutmentl extending from said cap, a springmessed lever moved by said abutment against the spring acting on the lever, a pin carried by. said -V l ready to function as lever and a spring-pressed pivotally mounted abutment having a corner normally resting against said pin for resisting movement by said pin.

2. In a lighter of the character described, a cap, a serrated wheel actuated by said cap, a flint adapted to be struck by said serrated wheel, and means for causing said cap and serrated wheel to move quickly, said means including a pin carried by the cap, a pivotally mounted spring-held abutment for resisting the movement of said pin, a bell crank swingably supporting said pivotally mounted abutment and a spring acting on the bell crank for normally preventing said pivotally mounted abutment from moving out ot the way oi said pin whereby when. sumcient pressure is brought to bear on said pin the bell crank lever will swing out of the way and thereby allow a quick movement of the pin, serrated wheel, and associated parts. y

3. Ina lighter of the character described, a xllnt, aserrated wheel, means for moving the serrated wheel in one direction manually, said means including a cap, a spring-pressed arm for moving said cap back to its former position, a pin. carried by said cap, a spring-pressed pivotally mounted abutment arranged in the path oi movementV of said pin. land a spring-pressedy bell crank lever `pivotallysupporting said pivotally mounted abutment, whereby when sufficient pressure is brought to bear against salti pivotally i mounted abutment by said pin, the bell crank lever will move downwardly and swing the pivotally mounted abutment outof thepath of the pin so as to allowv a quick movement oi the serrated wheel, said spring-pressed pivotally rnoimt-` .acasing,anuid containerhavingawick,aspa'rk-4 ing devicefor igniting said wick, a one-piece cap normally covering one end of. said casing. means actuated by said cap upon opening for causing said sparking device to function when the cap is moved to `an open position, and means pre` senting, a temporary resistance to the opening movement of said cap, said means not functionlng on the return movement of the cap so that' smooth, said meansfincludlng an abutment car-y ried byv said cap'. a pivotally mounted lever swung ln onedirection by said abutment when said l cap is actuated to produce a spark, a spring normally resisting movement of said abutment, afpin carried by said lever, a pivotally molmted bell crank lever. a spring for normally holding said bellfcranklever in ya given position, said bell crank lever offset end providing a sl'ioulcier.- a ,spring-pressed abutment pivotallyl mounted on' ,said-odset end, aspring actingon said-spring-P'ressed abutment for resiliently holding same against said shoulder, whereby when predetermined distance said erankl'evejrfwillmoveuntil said pin can pass laid sbimnent. a CHARLES ELARBEN.

onononueconmcx. 

